United States forward Clint Dempsey (8) scores a goal against Costa Rica goalkeeper Keilor Navas (1) during the first half of a FIFA 2014 World Cup Qualifier at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on March 22, 2013, in Commerce City, Colorado. The United States led Costa Rica 1-0 after the first half. (Daniel Petty, The Denver Post file)

Denver got about a foot of snow in Wednesday’s blizzard, but spring snow is nothing new here in Colorado. And it happens in a flash.

Lest we forget, it was exactly three years and a day ago that Colorado hosted its most epic soccer game in state history: the “SnowClasico” — USA vs. Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifying game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The USA battled through the snow for a 1-0 win.

Conditions were sunny and clear hours before the game, but things quickly deteriorated as snow and wind moved in. Soon, the conversation turned to whether officials would use an orange or yellow ball. Or whether the game would be canceled entirely.

Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath of Highlands Ranch was called up to the U.S. U-23 Olympic qualifying team. (Brent Lewis, The Denver Post file)

Four players with ties to Colorado will represent the United States when the Under-23 team tries later this month to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio.

Two current Colorado Rapids, midfielder Dillon Serna and defender Eric Miller, were named to the squad, along with former Rapids’ homegrown defender Shane O’Neill. Serna and O’Neill came up through the Rapids Academy. O’Neill plays for Cambridge United.

Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, who went to high school in Highlands Ranch, was also named to the team. Horvath plays professionally in the Norwegian first division for Molde FK. He was developed by Real Colorado, the same program that produced U.S. women’s national team star Mallory Pugh.

The U.S. U-23s take on Colombia in a two-leg series, with the winning team advancing to the 2016 Olympics. The first match is Friday, March 25 at Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla, Colombia, at 3 p.m. MT. It will air on FS1.

The U.S will host Colombia on March 29 in the second leg at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas at 7:30 p.m MT. It will air on ESPN 2.Read more…

Marcelo Sarvas at his final training session for the Rapids. (Daniel Boniface, The Denver Post)

When Marcelo Sarvas showed up at the Rapids’ first preseason training session of 2016 wearing No. 5 instead of his No. 11 from last season, you got the sense something was up. Then on Feb. 1, the Rapids announced Shkelzen Gashi had been acquired and would wear Sarvas’ old No. 11 shirt and the Brazilian midfielder was on his way to D.C. in a separate move.

“Before the second training, (coach) Pablo (Mastroeni) asked me to come to his office,” Sarvas told The Denver Post this week. “He said that the club wasn’t looking to trade me but D.C. — specifically (coach) Ben (Olsen) — called asking about me. Because of the club’s situation, salary, they accept the trade.”

Rapids VP of soccer operations Paul Bravo earlier this month said that American international midfielder Jermaine Jones was on the Rapids’ radar when they sent Sarvas to D.C., but there were other factors at play.

“That wasn’t the main reason,” Bravo said. “Going into the offseason we talked a lot about maybe (Dillon) Powers playing a little bit more in the (No.) 8 and having a deeper-lying playmaker out of that position.”

Colorado also received targeted allocation money (TAM) and a conditional 2018 pick in the MLS SuperDraft.

“Unfortunately, it’s still a business and that’s the sad part,” Mastroeni said this week. “It was very tough, but in the end everyone came away thinking that it might have been the best decision for everyone moving forward.”Read more…

The Rapids are the only team with two mascots in the running (I guess that’s only fair since they have like half a dozen mascots).

Early returns are not kind to RapidMan, however, as he’s only beating one mascot, Sporting Kansas City’s Blue. He’s even losing to the Rapids’ other entrant, Edson the Eagle, referred to in the poll as “Ellwood” for some odd reason.

Timber Joey was leading the vote, presumably because he has a chainsaw.